Coil and mandrel separating machinery

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is equipment for receiving, for example, assemblies of which each comprises a windup mandrel and slit coils carried thereon as used in the operation of a duplex foilslitting and rewinding machine, removing the coils from the mandrel, and processing the coils into a compact package while retrieving the mandrel for use in further slitting and rewinding operations. The portion of the equipment of especial interest herein effects a change of coaxial spaced relationship of the coils on the windup mandrel to stacked or coaxial juxtaposed relationship. To accomplish such stacking, structure is provided for facilitating the removal of coil separating elements of the assembly which fit together about the main shaft of the mandrel, such as drive collars and various types of spacers.

Feb. 27, 1973 COIL AND MANDREL SEPARATING MACHINERY Inventors: Robert E. Mount, Pine Brook; Gerrit De Gelleke, Parsippany, both of N.J.; Joseph Pundyk, New York,

[73] Assignee: Midland-Ross Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio [22] Filed: Jan. 29, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 110,946

[52] US. Cl ..242/81, 242/569 [51] Int. Cl ..B21c 47/24 [58] Field of Search ..242/81, 84, 56.9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,424,398 l/l969 Garnier ..242/8l 2,417,001 3/1947 Leroy .242/81 2,198,644 4/1940 Wettengel ..242/81 Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Assistant ExaminerEdward J. McCarthy Attorney-Woodrow W. Portz and Irvin L. Groh [5 7] ABSTRACT Disclosed herein is equipment for receiving, for example, assemblies of which each comprises a windup mandrel and slit coils carried thereon as used in the operation of a duplex foil-slitting and rewinding machine, removing the coils from the mandrel, and processing the coils into a compact package while retrieving the mandrel for use in further slitting and rewinding operations. The portion of the equipment of especial interest herein effects a change of coaxial spaced relationship of the coils on the windup mandrel to stacked or coaxial juxtaposed relationship. To accomplish such stacking, structure is provided for facilitating the removal of coil separating elements of the assembly which fit together about the main shaft of the mandrel, such as drive collars and various types of spacers.

14 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBZYWYS 3.718.302

SHEET 30F 4 INVENTORS 203E775 Mal/W MKITPCG'fLLf/(f FIGJO PAIENTEDFEB271975 3.71 .302

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COIL AND MANDREL SEPARATING MACHINERY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The problem of removing spaced coils from duplex windup mandrels as used in a duplex slitter-winder without marring the sides of the coils is of great concern in the production of strips of metallic foil. Any marring of the coil sides results in burrs or mars in the edges of the foil strip which cause foil breakage and other processing difficulties in the utilization of the foil. The problem of handling the coils is intensified as slitting widths are decreased and coil diameters are increased. The term foil as used herein is intended to relate to thin flexible strips of a material such as paper, plastic film, and foils or sheets of various metals.

It is current and common practice in the packaging of heavy coils of slit foil to first disassemble an assembly comprising the windup mandrel, coils including respective rewind cores, and the accessory items carried on the mandrel, such as drive collars, spacer cores, steel thrust rings. Such separation is carried out by lowering the assembly onto a platform which engages an under portion of the perimeter of the coils, and then withdrawing the mandrel from the coils. The cores and collars located between the coils thereupon drop downward between the coils and are manually retrieved. The drive collars, in particular, are normally of steel and, when their sizes correspond to large rewind core diameters, are heavy and bulky enough to cause severe marking or scarring of the sides of the coils. The coils are thereafter manipulated and assembled into a package of stacked coils. Any scarring of the sides of the coils may result in the scrapping thereof in attempting to meet use requirements.

There are available single rewind slitter-winders wherein the coils formed from the coil strips discharged by the slitter are wound on a single shaft in normally side-by-side contact. In forming packages of such coils for shipment, it is normally necessary to separate the coils for insertion of packing paper or other protective layer. Mere increase in diameter of coiled heavy material, such as metal, increases difficulty in separating the coils, but increases in diameter also aggravate the tendency of foil edges of adjacent coils to interweave and may render the coils virtually impossible to separate without damage or collapse. As the side-byside coils of a single rewinder are wound at the same angular speed, interweaving is intensified by the differences in tension of the supply strips resulting from variations in the gauge of the coil as measured crosswise of the parent supply sheet.

Hence, the present invention seeks to make more advantageous employment of the duplex winding machine wherein coils are wound at uniform tension and density and may be more conveniently packaged without defects incurred through winding and handling.

In view of the weight of the workpieces contemplated in providing the apparatus of this invention, it is an important object to provide machinery for receiving loaded windup mandrels from a duplex winder-slitter wherein coils or similar workpieces may be removed from respective coil collecting mandrels and assembled into compact packages thereof without any necessity for manual lifting or other manipulation.

An object ancillary to the foregoing object is that such apparatus be operable in a manner to make available for easy removal any of the accessory items carried on the mandrel for spacing and slip-clutching the coils during their formation.

A further object is to provide apparatus for packaging heavy coils produced by a duplex slitter-winder in a more rapid and efficient manner than heretofore.

In brief, the invention resides in apparatus comprising a portable mandrel normally used to support fiat centrally-apertured articles, such as coils of foil in spaced relationship thereon and other equipment capable of receiving the mandrels in successive order for the purpose of removing the coils from the mandrel by shifting the coils on a one-by-one basis onto a cantilever-supported shaft-like probe. As an important part of the invention, the distal ends of the mandrel and the probe are constructed to receive an essential part of the apparatus, namely, an adaptor which has portions establishing tightly fitting telescopic relation with distal end portions of the mandrel and the probe to thus establish a coaxial relationship and positive alignment of the probe and the mandrel. The probe is mounted in a machine providing facile movement of the probe into and out of telescoping relation with the adaptor. The mandrel and the adaptor are constructed for fixed connection during the mandrel-stripping operation and facile separation thereafter.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises three subassemblies or machines comprising (1 a mandrel stripping implement, (2) a coil-gathering machine, and (3) an upender, all arranged in generally centered relation with a vertical plane which contains the axes of the mandrel and the probe during an unloading operation. The coil-gathering machine, which includes the probe, is capable of moving in a direction parallel to the vertical plane to present the probe in coil-receiving relation with the stripping implement as well as to rotate the probe about a vertical axis located generally within the above noted plane to a position for transferring coils to a vertically adjustable platform portion of the upender.

FIG. 1 is a plan view partially in section of a portable coil-collecting or windup mandrel and a group of coils supported thereon, portions of a pusher, and an adaptor shown mounted on a distal end portion or stud of the basic shaft of the mandrel in place of a hearing assembly which normally completes the mandrel structure as used during the slitting and windup operations;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged shortened view of the mandrel of FIG. 1 in longitudinal cross section showing the mandrel without any coil material thereon, and the bearing assembly in place of the adaptor shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side elevation showing essentially the shaft portion of the mandrel of FIGS. 1 and 2 with annular coil-winding accessories thereon, a coilreceiving probe, and an interposed adaptor for connecting the mandrel and the probe in coaxial relationship;

FIG. 4 is a view in longitudinal cross section of the adaptor shown in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of apparatus comprising the three basic machines of the apparatus with the first machine, i.e., a mandrel-stripping implement, shown on the left with a loaded windup mandrel in place and the coils thereon resting on a hydraulic lift table, and an intermediate coil-gathering machine shown with its head oriented and the machine as a whole located for connecting the probe thereof in coaxial relation with the mandrel of the first machine through an interposed adaptor such as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the apparatus showing the probe engaged with and fully supporting the adaptor end of the mandrel with the coils clear of the hydraulic lift table and permitting a pusher of the mandrel-stripping implement to shift and reposition the entire mandrel load without dragging the outside surface of coils along the lift table and showing one coil moved onto the probe of the coil-gathering machine and all coils supported in the clear of the lift table of the first machine;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the apparatus showing the coil-gathering machine backed off from the mandrel-stripping implement and annular spacing and clutching elements positioned on the adaptor as attached to the mandrel to permit manual access and easy removal of the elements;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the apparatus showing the pusher of the mandrel-stripping implement at an extreme rightward position, the implement and the coil-gathering machine separated, and all coils transferred from the windup mandrel to the coil-gathering machine and compacted to a unit or stack thereon;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the apparatus showing the stripped mandrel of FIG. 8 removed from the stripping implement and the coil-gathering machine with its head portion rotated 180 and the machine as a whole moved toward a third machine, i.e., an upender, with the juxtaposed coils carried thereon positioned against a pallet supported by the anti-friction face of a roller platform portion of the upender;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the apparatus showing a lift table of the upender in supporting relation with the juxtaposed coils and the coil-gathering machine moved toward the stripping implement to position the machine with the probe approximately withdrawn from the coil unit supported on the upender table;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the apparatus showing the coil-gathering machine moved to a position in the clear of the upender and the tilting chassis of the upender pivoted to align its anti-friction face, i.e., its roller platform, within a horizontal plane, thereby disposing the pallet and coil unit supported thereon for ready movement to an adjacent roller platform; and the stripping implement with a newly-received mandrel and coil assembly in place thereon; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, of distal ends of thewindup mandrel and the probe of the coil-gathering machine as connected by the interposed adaptor.

Considering now the invention in greater detail, FIGS. -11 illustrate an apparatus comprising three separately identifiable machines or mechanisms; namely, a mandrel-stripping implement, a coil-gathering machine 5 and an upender 6. The function of these three machines is to receive a portable windup mandrel 7 loaded with coils 8, strip the coils and various coil spacing elements of the mandrel from the base shaft 9 of the mandrel, bring the coils into coaxial juxtaposition as a compact package which preferably includes a pallet, and then reorient the package to a position wherein the coils rest upon a pallet or other supporting surface with their common axis in vertical alignment.

The mandrel-stripping implement 4, the machine which first occurs in the processing of the coils 8 into packages, such as package 10 of FIG. 11, is shown in FIG. 5 supporting a mandrel and load assembly such as illustrated in FIG. 1. According to FIG. 5, the mandrelcoil assembly is supported with an internal tooth gear 12 secured to an end of the shaft 9 and received in a yoke 14 of the stripping implement 4. Under the conditions illustrated by FIG. 5, the assembly is principally supported by the platform 15 of a hydraulic lift 16 through engagement of the upper trough-like surface of the platform with the under surfaces of the coils 8. This lift is a portion of the implement or machine 4. With the platform 15 preset as shown, an assembly, such as shown in FIG. 1, may be gently deposited on the machine 4 with the mandrel 7 positioned to effect coaxial relationship with a probe 17 of the intermediate machine 5. A latch 18, normally secured in a horizontal position by an eye bolt 19, is shown upended in FIG. 5 to allow entrance of the gear 12 into the yoke 14. Once seated, the latch is swung to its horizontal position and secured by the eye bolt 19.

The loaded mandrel is not intended to be solely cantilever-supported at the yoke since it is generally necessary to perform fine adjustments of the platform 15 to effect pivoting of the mandrel with respect to its end portion confined within the yoke 14 in order to bring the distal end of the mandrel shaft into coaxial relation with the probe 17.

As further support of the mandrel, when the mandrel is not supported by coil 8 resting on surface 15, a horizontally reciprocable pusher 20 traversing a track 21 in parallel but laterally offset relation with common axis NN along which the mandrel and the probe 17 are joined through the interposed adaptor 24, contacts the underside of the stripper ring 42 positioned on shaft 9. The track 21 of spaced rails and a pusher carriage 26 are in cross head relationship to enable the pusher arm 27 (see FIG. 1) to enable the arm to provide firm cantilever support of the mandrel shaft 9 from the pusher carriage as the arm slides along the underneath of the shaft. The pusher is traversed by a fluid cylinder 28 of the machine 4 through its piston rod 29. The term fluid cylinder" as used herein denotes a pneumatic or hydraulic power unit comprising a cylinder and piston assembly usually including a piston rod protruding from one end of the cylinder, the assembly then being disposed between and connected by opposite ends to two relatively movable objects.

To facilitate an understanding of the changes of position illustrated by FIGS. 6-11, the structure of the rewind mandrel 7 is now briefly considered. Viewing FIG. 2 for detail, the mandrel 7 is shown as assembled for use in the rewind station of a slitter-winder with the bearing-gripping structure of the latter being shown in dot-dash outline in clamping relation with bearings 31,32 of the mandrel shown received on opposite end portions of the base shaft 9. The bearing 31 is permanently confined on the shaft between a shoulder 34 and an internal gear 35 secured by key and lock nut on the shaft. Bearing 32 is a portion of a removable assembly 36 having a base sleeve 37 in slidable but close fitting relation with a stud 38 forming a small diameter end portion of the shaft 9. The assembly is secured to the stud by set screws 39 in threaded relation with the sleeve 37 and reentrant relation with the stud 38.

As a load-supporting surface, the base shaft 9 has a cylindrical surface 41 along which various annular elements beginning with a stripping ring 42 and ending with a thrust sleeve 43 are positioned. During operation, axial pressure is exerted serially through all of the elements supported on the surface 41 through a thrust block 44 hearing on diametrically opposite surfaces of thrust sleeve 43, and a push rod 45 extending through a central bore therefor in the stud 38 and junctioning with a transverse aperture 40 extending the full diameter of the surface 21 within the main body of the shaft 9. The thrust block 44 is received in the aperture 40 and in slots 48 extending axially inwardly from the outward-facing end of the sleeve 43. The slots enable the sleeve 43 to axially envelop any protrusions of the block beyond the surface 41. The block is axially recessed to receive one end of the push rod 45 secured therein by a set screw 51 in threaded relation with the block and in engagement with a side area of the pin 45 in the clear of its slightly enlarged ball end 52. During operation, the push rod is urged axially toward a shoulder 54 of the shaft between to subject intervening elements to axial pressure by an element 55 of a fluid cylinder mounted on the slitter-winder.

Exemplary of elements which are included between the stripper ring 42 and the sleeve 43 are an adjustable spacer ring 57, a relatively narrow spacer ring 58, a drive collar (clutch element) 59, a fiber core 60 and a between-coils spacer 61. The fiber core 60 is a sleeve on which a coil is wrapped and forms a part of the single coil package. IN the duplex winding system, the cores 60 are always spaced somewhat as shown by a drive collar at each side of the coil core 60 and a spacer ring between the drive collars which are adjacent mutually facing sides of the coils.

In order that all of the coils on a winding spindle may be wrapped at continuously uniform tension, the spindle is driven through a power linkage (not shown) connecting with the internal gear 35 at a speed of rotation in excess of that needed to rotate the coils at speeds sufficient to keep slack out of the supply strip issuing from the slitter-winder. The core 60 of each coil may slip in relation to the shaft 9 and in relation to the drive collars 59 at either side. The collars 59 each have an internal boss 64 extending into a longitudinal groove recessed within the outer cylindrical surface 41 of the shaft, and are thus locked in positive drive relation with the shaft. As previously inferred, the slip-clutch or frictional relationship of the cores with the drive collars is controlled through the magnitude of axially directed pressure put on all annular elements slidably supported on the surface 41 through the thrust block 44. An essential problem in assembling the coils collected on the cores 60 into a compact package of coils, even though the weights of such coils greatly exceed the lifting abilities of workmen, is to rapidly and conveniently separate the various annular elements carried on the spindle from the coils without damage thereto.

In comparing FIGS. 5 and 6, the entire assembly of annular elements and coils carried on the surface 41 of the mandrel shaft 9 is shown in FIG. 6 transferred to a position wherein the rightmost coil 8a is moved onto the probe 17 just past its distal end surface, leaving the elements 59 and 60 resting substantially on the outer cylindrical surface 64 of the adaptor 24. The surface 64 is slightly smaller in circumference than that of the adjacent contiguous surface 41 of the shaft 9. When the coil-gathering machine 5 moves a slight distance away from the adaptor 24 to the right as shown in FIG. 7, the elements 61 and 58 are easily manually lifted off of the adaptor. When removed, the machine 5 is moved leftward again to bring the probe into joined relation with the adaptor as shown in FIG. 3. Throughout these operations, the adaptor is secured to the stud 38 of the shaft 9 by means such as set screws 67, so that any parting of the shaft 9, the adaptor, and the probe 17 occurs between the internally tapered end surface 65 of the probe and the externally tapered surface 66 of the adaptor. Axial movement of load elements on the shaft 9 may be understood by reference to FIG. 1, wherein the arm 27 of the pusher is shown with U-shape slots 62,63 which receive the shoulder 54 of the shaft and the outside surface of stripper ring 42 with small clearances with the sides and bottoms of the slots. When the pusher moves to the right, it thus engages the side surface of the stripper ring 42 to effect axial movement of axially slidable elements away from the shoulder 54. It is also to be noted from FIG. 4 that the adaptor has a longitudinally extending groove 69 which assumes contiguous alignment with the groove 69b when the adaptor is installed on the shaft 9 to accommodate the bosses 69a in passage of the drive collars 59 over the adaptor.

At the beginning of the process for transferring coils from the mandrel to the probe, the pusher arm 27 is closer to the proximate or base end of the mandrel and thus does not contribute much support to the mandrel and the resultant bridge formed during a period of inline connection of the mandrel, the adaptor, and the probe. As the probe is anchored in machine 5 construction capable of heavy cantilever loading, beam deflection of the mandrel-adaptor-probebridge with a load of coils thereon is resisted essentially by the probe. When this bridge is established, the table 15 may be lowered out of contact with the coils. When pushing the coils toward the probe, the table 15 is necessarily in a loaded position out of contact with the coils 8 to avoid abrasion or other damage thereto. To strengthen the connection between the adaptor and the mandrel and to relieve the stud 38 of substantial bending, shear, and tensile stresses, the adaptor is formed with a flange 68 having an inner cylindrical surface shaped to a close fit with a shoulder having an outer cylindrical surface complementary to the inner surface 68a of the flange. The flange is at least as long as the shoulder and, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 12, the flange and the shoulder are coextensive. The outer surface of the flange is a portion of the full outer cylindrical surface 64 of the adaptor.

As a further feature in connecting the adaptor and the shaft 9, the adaptor is locked from axial movement relative to the stud by set screw 67 during operation. The set screws preferably secure the adaptor flange 68 against an axially facing surface 70a extending between the shoulder 70 and the outer shaft surface 41. In this manner, the stud is protected from excessive stresses and the connection of the shaft and the adaptor is made more resistant to beam loading. Minor changes in the design of the adaptor and the probe 17 are possible to enable the adaptor to be fixed to the probe and to permit parting the mandrel shaft 9 and the adaptor if so desired.

On larger diameter mandrels of which the shoulder 70 is larger in diameter than the bearing assembly 36, the adaptor 24 may be provided with an internal cavity of sufficient size to receive the bearing assembly and join with the shoulder 70 without removal of the assembly from the mandrel shaft.

Obviously, the operations illustrated by FIGS. 6 and 7 will have been preceded by preliminary operations to remove adjacent annular elements 43,59 nearest the adaptor, such as a leftward movement of the probe 17 into joined relation with the adaptor 24, a lowering of the table 15 out of contact with the coils on the man drel, and a load-traversing operation by the pusher 20. It should be apparent that the block 44 is removed from the mandrel assembly along with the bearing assembly 36 to prepare the mandrel shaft for installation of the adaptor 24. After positioning each coil on the probe 17, the table 15 is raised into contact with the coils remaining on the mandrel to provide the main support therefor, and the machine is shifted to separate the probe and the adaptor.

As an alternative practice, the table is positioned so that engagement of the probe 17 with the adaptor 24 will slightly raise the coils 8 into clearance with the table 15 as the tapered surfaces 65 and 67 engage. Conversely, separation of the probe 17 from the adaptor accompanied by sliding of the tapered surfaces out of contact will lower the coils 8 remaining on the mandrel into contact with the table 15 when positioned at the proper height. A protective pad or sheet may be placed against the side surface of the coil as received on the probe to prevent side-to-side contact of the coils in the final package.

After a repetition of the operations just described, all coils 8 are deposited on the probe 17 by a series of advancements by the pusher and corresponding horizontal back and forth movements of the machine 5 along its track 71 to provide access to elements shoved onto the adaptor 24. As the load is progressively transferred to the probe 17, the pusher arm 27 becomes increasingly effective as a support for the mandrel shaft 9, since the latter rests on the bottom surface of the recess (slots) 62,63 in the arm 27.

The machine 5 is of turnstile construction with a base carriage 72 traversable along the track 71 by operation of a fluid cylinder 73 having fixed anchorage at one end and connected by its other end to the carriage. The carriage rotatably supports a revolving head 74 having an integral shaft 75 which extends along a vertical axis of rotation into a motor 76 attached to the carriage. The motor has the function of rotating the head from the position shown in FIG. 8 to a position corresponding to 180 of rotation or other angle suitable for transferring the coils 8 as a compact unit to the upender 6. The machine 5 further comprises a coil thruster 78 traversed lengthwise of the probe 17 by a fluid cylinder 79 fixed to the head 74. The thruster is at least partially supported throughout its reciprocation by one or more guides 81 In operation, the upender 6 provides, at coil-receiving position, an upward-facing support surface and a vertical backup surface to which a pallet maybe attached whereby the upender is adapted for receiving a compact group of coils in coaxial side-by-side relationship while the machine 5 disengages itself from the coils. Thereafter, as the upender is loaded, the tilting frame of the upender may tip through some desired angle, such as 90, to place the grouped coils in a position for being further transported or handled as a package. In the embodiment shown, the upender 6 comprises a tilting frame 82 which pivots with respect to a base 83 about an axis at 84. A fluid cylinder 85 is attached to the frame 82 which adjustably supports a backup platform 86 at generally right angles with a table 87 supported on another arm of the tilting frame 82 by a fluid cylinder 88 attached to the frame. The cylinder 88 adjustably positions the table 87 in a direction parallel to the general plane of the backup platform 86. The backup platform may present an antifriction surface to any object supported thereon and accordingly comprises, as shown, a plurality of rollers 91. The backup platform preferably includes adjustable side clamps 92 for gripping the sides of a pallet while the upender is positioned according to FIGS. 8 to 10. The load-receiving surface of the table 87 is preferably trough-shaped by providing engagement with coils at at least two or more points along their peripheries. The cylinders 85,88 are aligned with axes in right angle relationship. A fluid cylinder 93 connected with and between a fixed anchor and the frame 84 shifts the frame from the position of FIG. 10 to the position-of FIG. 11.

FIG. 9 shows the machine 5 moved towards the right to position the juxtaposed coils 8 against a pallet 94 in engaged relation with the rolls 91. The rolls 8 are still supported on the probe 17. The table 87 remains in its lower position out of engagement with the coils. The stripped mandrel shaft 9 of FIG. 8 has been removed from the yoke 14.

FIG. 10 shows support of the coil unit transferred from the machine 5 to the upender table 87. To accomplish this, the table 87 has been elevated merely enough to engage the undersides of the coils and relieve the probe 17 of the weight of the coils. Just prior to the condition obtained in FIG. 10, the cylinders 73,79 have been actuated to cause concurrent equilinear movements of the machine 5 in its entirety and the pusher 78 in opposite directions with the effect that the pusher 78 remains stationary with respect to the upender and coils 8 while withdrawing the probe 17 from the central apertures of the coils. FIG. 10 also shows adjustment of the stripping implement table 15 upwardly from its position in FIG. 9 preparatory to receiving another coil and mandrel assembly. As shown, the coil mandrel assembly is resting on the table 15 with the mandrel gear 35 in mated relation with the yoke 14.

FIG. 11 illustrates the machine 5 backed off leftwardly inthe clear of the upender 6 leaving the latter free to effect approximately rotation of the load comprising the pallet 94 and coils 8. The cylinder 85 is operated to adjust the platform 86 to a suitable level for transferring the pallet 94 and its load to an adjacent platform or conveyor 96. Normally such transfer can be made manually although the cylinder 88 may be used in horizontally shifting the table 87 for this purpose.

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for handling a plurality of coils or the like having central apertures comprising:

a portable collecting mandrel comprising a base shaft and collar means slidably mounted on the shaft for supporting the coils in axially spaced relationship along the shaft;

an adaptor of no greater diameter than said shaft;

a coil-receiving probe of no greater diameter than the adaptor;

said shaft and said probe having distal end portions and said adaptor having end portions arranged and constructed to receive the adaptor between the shaft and probe in coaxially interlocked relationship;

support means for supporting the mandrel and the probe in coaxial and longitudinally separable relationship, said probe being supported cantilever fashion;

said support means being operable to bring said shaft, adaptor, and probe together in end-to-end coaxial relationship as a load-supporting bridge, and said means for supporting the probe being constructed to provide through its own cantilever support of said probe the essential resistance to beam loading deflection if said bridge under conditions of coil-shifting over said bridge; and

means for pushing said collar means and said coils in one body toward the distal end of the shaft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said adaptor is of slightly less diameter than the shaft and of a length substantially equal to that of that portion of said collar means disposed between adjacent coils.

3. Apparatus for handling a plurality of coils or the like having central apertures comprising:

a portable collecting mandrel comprising a base shaft adapted to extend through the apertures of said plurality, and collar means slidably mounted on the shaft for supporting the coils in axially spaced relationship along the shaft;

a mandrel stripping implement comprising support means interlocking with an end portion of the shaft to position the shaft with its length in generally horizontal alignment and a coil-supporting portion thereof in cantilever relation with the support means, a pusher in straddling relation with the shaft as positioned by the support means, means for reciprocating the pusher lengthwise of the positioned mandrel, and a vertically-reciprocal lift table centered under said positioned mandrel, the table being vertically movable into and out of a region of coil occupancy under said mandrel;

a coil-gathering machine comprising an elongate probe having a coil-receiving portion of a diameter no greater than that of the shaft, said portion having a length adapting it to extend axially through said plurality of coils, traversing means for supporting the probe with its longitudinal axis generally coinciding with that of said positioned mandrel and with distal ends of the shaft and the probe toward each other, said traversing means being operable to move said probe along said axis toward or away from the shaft; and

an adaptor having a diameter at least as large as that of said probe but no greater than that of said shaft,

said adaptor having end portions shaped and arranged to complementarily interlock with said distal ends and maintain axial registry of the shaft of a positioned mandrel and the probe when said traversing means is actuated to confine said adaptor between said ends.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

said machine is of turnstile construction comprising as said traversing means a base carriage in guide relation with horizontally aligned guide means, power means for moving the carriage relatively to the guide means; and

an upper head portion comprising said probe rotatable relative to the base about a vertical axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

said machine comprises means for rotating said probe about a vertical axis, and a coil thruster straddling said probe; and

said apparatus comprises vertically reciprocal platform means located at an angle about said vertical axis in the clear of said mandrel stripping mechanism, said platform means being movable to engage the undersurface of coils carried on said probe; and

means for controlling the relative movement of said probe and said platform means to maintain said platform means in approximately fixed relation with said thruster during movement of the thruster toward the distal end of said probe.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

said means for reciprocating the pusher supports the pusher in sliding engagement with the underside of the mandrel to provide auxiliary support for the mandrel.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

said shaft has a substantially cylindrical coil-supporting surface terminating adjacent a distal end portion of the mandrel defining a cylindrical stud of smaller diameter than said surface;

the distal end portion of said probe defines a tapered recess concentric with the axis of the probe; and

said adaptor has an axial bore circumferentially complementary to said stud and at least a portion of its peripheral surface adjacent one end surface of tapered configuration complementary to at least a portion of said recess.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the end portion of said adaptor for receiving the stud has a shallow annular recess extending inwardly from the corresponding end to form a substantially cylindrical end flange on the adaptor; and

said shaft has an annular shoulder located both axially and radially between said stud and the outer coil-supporting surface of the shaft, said flange fitting said shoulder in complementary relationship.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 comprising:

means for securing the adaptor with said flange against an axially facing surface of the shaft adjacent said shoulder.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the maximum diameters of said adaptor and a coilsupporting portion of said probe are approximately equal but slightly less than that of said coil-supporting surface of said shaft.

1 l. The apparatus of claim 3 comprising:

means in said machine for supporting said probe for rotation about a vertical axis;

an upender for receiving said plurality of coils from said probe, said upender being located in spaced relation with said implement, and being generally centered with respect to a vertical plane occupied by said vertical axis when said machine is positioned for transfer of coils therefrom to said upender;

said upender comprising right-angle shaped platform means tiltable through at least a 90 angle about an axis extending perpendicularly to said vertical plane, one portion of said tiltable platform means being at right angle with another portion comprising a reciprocable table movable vertically at said one position of the platform means into and out of a coil-occupying region underneath said probe;

said machine having a coil thruster in straddling relation with said probe and propulsion means for moving the thruster lengthwise of the probe operable in synchronously controlled relation with said traversing means for depositing said plurality of coils on said table.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

said implement, said machine, and said upender are centered substantially along said vertical plane; and

said machine is of turnstile construction comprising parallel to said vertical plane, and power means for moving the carriage relatively to the guide means toward and away from both the implement and the upender; and

means for supporting said probe for rotation about a vertical axis contained in said vertical plane.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said mandrel comprises a stripping ring normally supported on the base shaft adjacent said support means, said ring having an outer diameter greater than said collar means to provide a side surface accessible to said pushing means.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said mandrel comprises a stripping ring normally supported on the base shaft adjacent said end portion received by the supporting means, said ring having an outer diameter greater than said collar means to provide a side surface accessible to said pusher. 

1. Apparatus for handling a plurality of coils or the like having central apertures comprising: a portable collecting mandrel comprising a base shaft and collar means slidably mounted on the shaft for supporting the coils in axially spaced relationship along the shaft; an adaptor of no greater diameter than said shaft; a coil-receiving probe of no greater diameter than the adaptor; said shaft and said probe having distal end portions and said adaptor having end portions arranged and constructed to receive the adaptor between the shaft and probe in coaxially interlocked relationship; support means for supporting the mandrel and the probe in coaxial and longitudinally separable relationship, said probe being supported cantilever fashion; said support means being operable to bring said shaft, adaptor, and probe together in end-to-end coaxial relationship as a load-supporting bridge, and said means for supporting the probe being constructed to provide through its own cantilever support of said probe the essential resistance to beam loading deflection if said bridge under conditions of coil-shifting over said bridge; and means for pushing said collar means and said coils in one body toward the distal end of the shaft.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said adaptor is of slightly less diameter than the shaft and of a length substantially equal to that of that portion of said collar means disposed between adjacent coils.
 3. Apparatus for handling a plurality of coils or the like having central apertures comprising: a portable collecting mandrel comprising a base shaft adapted to extend through the apertures of said plurality, and collar means slidably mounted on the shaft for supporting the coils in axially spaced relationship along the shaft; a mandrel stripping implement comprising support means interlocking with an end portion of the shaft to position the shaft with its length in generally horizontal alignment and a coil-supporting portion thereof in cantilever relation with the support means, a pusher in straddling relation with the shaft as positioned by the support means, means for reciprocating the pusher lengthwise of the positioned mandrel, and a vertically-reciprocal lift table centered under said positioned mandrel, the table being vertically movable into and out of a region of coil occupancy under said mandrel; a coil-gathering machine comprising an elongate probe having a coil-receiving portion of a diameter no greater than that of the shaft, said portion having a length adapting it to extend axially through said plurality of coils, traversing means for supporting the probe with its longitudinal axis generally coinciding with that of said positioned mandrel and with distal ends of the shaft and the probe toward each other, said traversing means being operable to move said probe along said axis toward or away from the shaft; and an adaptor having a diameter at least as large as that of said probe but no greater than that of said shaft, said adaptor having end portions shaped and arranged to complementarily interlock with said distal ends and maintain axial registry of the shaft of a positioned mandrel and the probe when said traversing means is actuated to confine said adaptor between said ends.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: said machine is of turnstile construction comprising as said traversing means a base carriage in guide relation with horizontally aligned guide means, power means for moving the carriage relatively to the guide means; and an upper head portion comprising said probe rotatable relative to the base about a vertical axis.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: said machine comprises means for rotating said probe about a vertical axis, and a coil thruster straddling said probe; and said apparatus comprises vertically reciprocal platform means located at an angle about said vertical axis in the clear of said mandrel stripping mechanism, said platform means being movable to engage the undersurface of coils carried on said probe; and means for controlling the relative movement of said probe and said platform means to maintain said platform means in approximately fixed relation with said thruster during movement of the thruster toward the distal end of said probe.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: said means for reciprocating the pusher supports the pusher in sliding engagement with the underside of the mandrel to provide auxiliary support for the mandrel.
 7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: said shaft has a substantially cylindrical coil-supporting surface terminating adjacent a distal end portion of the mandrel defining a cylindrical stud of smaller diameter than said surface; the distal end portion of said probe defines a tapered recess concentric with the axis of the probe; and said adaptor has an axial bore circumferentially complementary to said stud and at least a portion of its peripheral surface adjacent one end surface of tapered configuration complementary to at least a portion of said recess.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein: the end portion of said adaptor for receiving the stud has a shallow annular recess extending inwardly from the corresponding end to form a substantially cylindrical end flange on the adaptor; and said shaft has an annular shoulder located both axially and radially between said stud and the outer coil-supporting surface of the shaft, said flange fitting said shoulder in complementary relationship.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 comprising: means for securing the adaptor with said flange against an axially facing surface of the shaft adjacent said shoulder.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein: the maximum diameters of said adaptor and a coil-supporting portion of said probe are approximately equal but slightly less than that of said coil-supporting surface of said shaft.
 11. The apparatus of claim 3 comprising: means in said machine for supporting said probe for rotation about a vertical axis; an upender for receiving said plurality of coils from said probe, said upender being located in spaced relation with said implement, and being generally centered with respect to a vertical plane occupied by said vertical axis when said machine is positioned for transfer of coils therefrom to said upender; said upender comprising right-angle shaped platform means tiltable through at least a 90* angle about an axis extending perpendicularly to said vertical plane, one portion of said tiltable platform means being at right angle with another portion comprising a reciprocable table movable vertically at said one position of the platform means into and out of a coil-occupying region underneath said probe; said machine having a coil thruster in straddling relation with said probe and propulsion means for moving the thruster lengthwise of the probe operable in synchronously controlled relation with said traversing means for depositing said plurality of coils on said table.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: said implement, said machine, and said upender are centered substantially along said vertical plane; and said machine is of turnstile construction comprising as said traversing means a base carriagE in guide relation with horizontally aligned guide means parallel to said vertical plane, and power means for moving the carriage relatively to the guide means toward and away from both the implement and the upender; and means for supporting said probe for rotation about a vertical axis contained in said vertical plane.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said mandrel comprises a stripping ring normally supported on the base shaft adjacent said support means, said ring having an outer diameter greater than said collar means to provide a side surface accessible to said pushing means.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said mandrel comprises a stripping ring normally supported on the base shaft adjacent said end portion received by the supporting means, said ring having an outer diameter greater than said collar means to provide a side surface accessible to said pusher. 